CINEMA

It's unusual to come out of a Happy Madison movie (era 2010s) and feel at a complete loss. Somehow, The Wrong Missy, while starting off rather rough, manages to eventually create a predictable yet enjoyable romance.

OPENING THOUGHTS:

DIRECTION:

Direction is never the bright star of Happy Madison productions, and that remains the case here. The film (which is most likely due to the script saying so) seems to jump awkwardly from several types of comedy: R-rated crude humor, outdated slapstick, or obnoxious visual gags, and the transitions between them are just as clumsy as their execution.

PLOT:

The plot follows Tim Morris (David Spade), a middle aged businessman with a promotion almost in his pocket; that is until he goes on a horrific date with a woman named Melissa (Lauren Lapkus). The date goes so badly that he consequently makes a not so brisk escape through the bathroom window. Fast forward to a few months later and Tim has a nearly perfect date accidentally with a woman also named Melissa. Can you see where this is going? So after a little more time has passed, a corporate retreat is about to happen and Tim accidentally invites the wrong Missy, therefore hijinks occur. That right there basically sums up the entire plot, and once the retreat begins, it's Missy acting like a lunatic on a corporate retreat in many different ways and Tim trying to keep her out of sight. It's not the strongest comedic story out there, and a corporate retreat gone wrong is not the most original idea.

ACTING | CHARACTERS | DIALOGUE:

David Spade, apart from Joe Dirt, has never really had much range when it comes to his acting roles, so he plays the straight man a majority of the time and he reprises that role here. He's not bringing much to the table, as he is more or less pushing the story forward but not giving much else. Lauren Lapkus absolutely steals the show as the titular Missy, something that came as a complete surprise after her appalling performance in the 2018 film Holmes & Watson. While the first half an hour may be considered to most as obnoxious humor, she eventually comes into her own with the material; it's relentlessly dumb, and that may not win over the already lost fans from previous Happy Madison outings. Nick Swardson, Rob Schneider, Geoff Pierson, and Sarah Chalke all have memorable roles in the film as side characters, whether it be as a shark expert or a lost fling, while the remainder of the cast is lost in my mind.

VISUAL EFFECTS | MAKEUP | DESIGN:

MUSIC | SCORE | SOUND DESIGN:

Lacking the usual flair we receive from a Happy Madison production in its soundtrack, we are left with an above average modern comedy score that doesn't overwhelm the audience during comedic scenes but also doesn't underwhelm during the more sincere dialogue. Sound effects assist the film greatly in moments where the comedy doesn't quite reach the level it should on its own. Whether it be the quick squeal of Missy appearing underneath a bathroom stall door or Rob Schneider punching a shark, these scenes are enhanced by their accompanied sound.

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

Arguably the film could have had better cinematography regarding the location the film took place in, as it truly doesn't take advantage of the setting. Beyond that though, the film functions like your typical low budget studio comedy; it looks acceptable but nothing exactly blows you out of the water - especially not the CGI shark.